Bamford-wood. 189 



first for the aforesaid Simpson Clough, and in a little 

 while ascend by the path among the trees upon the left, 

 and so into some fields and to the edge of a precipice, 

 from which is obtained a capital view of this part of the 

 dells, and of the mountains that lie beyond them. Dobb- 

 wood should then be entered, so as to meet Cheeseden- 

 brook ; then, in their turns we may explore Windy-cliff 

 wood, Carr-wood, and Jowkin-wood. The portions to 

 the right are Ashworth-wood and Bamford-wood ; the 

 stream through the latter is " Norden-water." 



Exact routes through these dells it is impossible to 

 prescribe, so much must depend upon taste and leisure. 

 Suffice it to say that the extent, the beauty, and the wild- 

 ness require repeated visits to be appreciated. There is 

 more than one pretty natural lawn in the curves of 

 the stream, where the silence has been broken by pic- 

 nics and music : in dry weather ladies may venture into 

 most parts with perfect safety, but they must come pre- 

 pared for four or five miles, (reckoning from Heywood 

 station,) and possibly a few adventures. All who go 

 round deserve to be commemorated as Bamford heroines. 

 Compared with Cheshire, Bamford-wood, (as it is 

 customary to designate the whole,) is on the average a 

 fortnight later in escaping from winter. Spring's " curled 

 darlings " have already stepped into the green parlours 

 of the Bollin valley, when here scarcely a leaf is open ; 

 even the palm-willow, always ready for the earliest re- 

 connoitring bee of April, is cautious and dilatory. The 



